Max Rodriguez

Campus Involvement

Curing The Job Market Blues

In his final year of school, Max Rodriguez ‘10 has a single objective in mind: get a job. The business management major is hedging his bets by interning with two companies near his home in Severna Park, MD.

“I’ve received a lot of help from my faculty advisor, Professor Harvey, and Professor Scout, who coached me into my credit-bearing internships,” says Max who, as a third-year summer intern at Aerotek, has put in more time with the staffing company than many full-time employees. As a recruiter, he brings in clients, conducts interviews and background checks, and makes hiring recommendations.

With an eye on a career as a financial advisor, Max is also studying the stock market and the compression of the nation’s financial institutions. During his internship with Merrill Lynch, which merged with Bank of America in January, he has watched the unfolding restructuring process that corporate leaders promise will produce one of the country’s strongest financial institutions. In August, Sallie Krawcheck, the former Citigroup Inc. executive named to head Bank of America Corp.’s wealth-management business, said she wants to build on Merrill Lynch’s history and preserve its culture as a leading financial service firm where the client comes first.

For his senior capstone project, Max will focus on Bank of America’s role in the nation’s economic recovery, as well as its approach to helping its clients navigate some of the most turbulent financial markets in recent history. “I enjoy client analysis and strategic management,” he says. “During my internship, I’ve done some research. I’ve learned how the stock market operates. I follow the daily activity. This is definitely something I’m interested in.”

Even the most goal-oriented student needs some downtime: Max has his fun on the Chester River, where the wakeboard and waterski club practice their tricks behind the College’s ski boat. He and his roommate, Pat Interlandi, both ski competitively; as club president in 2009-10, Max is putting together a schedule and recruiting a new class of competitive skiers.